Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Protective Factors in the Family, School, and Community

A challenge for the 1990s is the implementation of prevention strategies that strengthen protective factors in families, schools, and communities. Protective factors refer to positive action strategies that build resiliency in youth. After a brief overview of protection factor research, the major protective factors that contribute to the development of resiliency in youth and the implications for building effective prevention programs are discussed. Support, high expectations, and encouragement of youth participation are family, school, and community protective factors. A conclusion is that the increasing numbers of students experiencing risk due to economic deprivation necessitate a systems perspective in prevention strategies. From this perspective, a major underlying factor of social problems is the gradual destruction of naturally occurring social networks in the community. Strategies based on power sharing and reciprocity, such as mentoring and cooperative learning, are advocated to strengthen these social bonds and to promote the protective factors of support, high expectations, and participation. School community linkages and communitywide collaboration are also crucial. (138 references) (LMI)